Welcome to Mr. Demerest's Weebly Page!
Hello!
I am glad you took the time to explore my website. You will find a lot of information posted here that does not fit on my school blog. If you have any questions about anything you see here please feel free to email me at [email protected]
Please use the tabs at the top of this page to navigate through my site. For example if you want to look at what I have posted for reading simply click on the "Reading" tab, for writing click on the "Writing" tab, etc.
Please note that this site is constantly under construction and I will continue, as time permits, to update it. I Hope you visit often!
My Teaching Philosophy
I possess a certain expertise in helping children become confident, eager learners. In order for each child to grow and be successful during their time with me I have found that a partnership between myself, caregivers, and the student produces the best results. The hard and sometimes exhausting job of parenting (and teaching!) shows its rewards when a child I am working with has the support at home that he or she needs in order to experience success in the classroom on a daily basis. To that end I encourage parents to talk with your child every night about their school work and guide them through homework when needed. I have included several websites that can be helpful to you and your child as you navigate the 5th grade curriculum. I am looking forward to working with you and your child this year. Let's make it a memorable one!
Classroom Rules and Expectations
"Do Nothing to Hinder Teaching and Learning" is my guiding principle. Students are expected to work hard and take their education seriously. There will be various opportunities for fun but my focus is on revisiting and mastering previously learned skills while using appropriate strategies to explore and acquire new knowledge. Being engaged in the classroom and completing homework is essential. This will go a long way towards preparing students for the rest of their schooling, not to mention the challenges of the ever changing work environment they will be entering in a few short years.
"Kids are kids, not shorter versions of adults." That statement underlies my discipline philosophy. I use "3 strikes and your Out!" as a way to manage my room full of energetic learners. The 1st time I need to talk to a student who is a distraction to themselves or others I will move their name from the "Nice" list to the "Naughty" list on the board (Strike 1). This verbal and visual warning usually is all that is needed to redirect a youngster. If a student whose name is on the "naughty" list needs my help to refocus again, I put a check mark by their name (Strike 2). I will also remind them that they are on their way to having a bad day and that I, along with the rest of the class, do not want to have their bad day with them. Rarely will I have a child disrupt learning again, but if they do, I remove them to the hallway (Strike 3). I give them a form to fill out while they are out there so that we can have a productive discussion, centered on their choices, when I get a chance to talk to them in private. A copy of this form will accompany the student home and require a signature from a caregiver. Please take a moment to talk to your child about their behavior and send the signed form back with them the next day. I will also try to contact the caregiver by email or phone. If your learner happens to bring home one of these forms and you have any questions please contact me. My phone number at school is 494-2371, please leave a message that includes the best time to call as I am engaged with students or in meetings the majority of the day. The best way to contact me is by email, [email protected] Since it is very rare for a child to reach 3 strikes it is very important for me to have caregiver support as I try to figure out how to help the student refocus on the reason they are here at school.
Thanks for all you do!